What Happened After
by SweetSouthernGal
Summary: Everyone always asks how we got together. But how we got together isn't important. What's important is what happened after. LJ Oneshot. T even though it probably doesn't need to be.


AN: I started thinking about how all the stories talk about how Lily and James got together. Some cover what happen after, but it's a rarity. So here's a story that's almost entirely devoted to what happened after they got together. I realized several ways I could go with it once I got started, and I liked them all- but this way won. I hope you like it!

(EEK! I reread this, and noticed two** killer** errors in the above AN, but it's all good now. insert sigh of relief)

Disclaimer: In no way will I ever claim that I own Harry Potter or any other characters or ideas or anything from any of the Harry Potter books. It all belongs to the fabulous J.K. Rowling.

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Everyone always asks how we got together.

They picture some sappy romantic story.

They see us finally admitting our "undying love."

The tale will incorporate several cheesy lines,

and it always ends with a passionate kiss.

The truth is- it's not important how we got together.

He asked me out for the millionth and first time (Sirius kept an accurate count),

he looked adorable (as usual I'll admit),

and his pouty look had finally achieved perfection.

No girl in her right mind could have said no.

His grin after I said "yes" was absolutely adorable.

It totally made "admitting defeat" and "giving in" worth it.

But like I said, how we got together isn't important.

What really matters is what happened after.

_What happened after was we fell in love._

We'd been dating for a month, and we were hanging out on the grounds.

I sat on his lap, and he was absentmindedly playing with my hair-

I love it when he does that.

Suddenly, he took my chin in the cup of his hand,

and turned my head gently so I was looking right at him.

My face barely an inch from his, he whispered "Lily, I love you."

My heart started pounding,

and the flutter in my stomach told me exactly how to respond,

"And I love you."

And then he sprouted that goofy grin again,

the same one that spread across his face when I said I'd go out with him.

Sirius says that I'm the only one who can make him grin like that.

I hope he's right.

_What happened after was he told me he didn't plan on letting me get away._

We were in the Gryffindor Common Room, sitting on the couch.

Again, I was in his lap- and he was playing with my hair.

I love it when he does that.

Our friends were around us, chattering happily.

We were there with them, but at the same time we were in our own little world.

I turned to give him a smile and he grinned that goofy grin.

Everything was so light and perfect.

"Lily," he whispered, so quiet only I could hear-

sounding serious it seemed out of place and was making me nervous,

"Lily, I'm never going to let you get away. Forever, Lily, you are mine just as I am yours."

And then my heart stopped beating heavily with worry, and I smiled again.

"Why would I ever want to get away?"

He smiled, "Glad to know you're going to make my job easy."

We laughed then, in a deep laugh that no one else could understand.

Our friends certainly didn't, they looked at us like we had finally gone bonkers.

Maybe we had.

_What happened after was he asked me to be his wife._

It was after graduation, everyone else had already gone down to meet the train.

It was just us in our Head's Common Room.

I had just been yelling at him through the walls that he had better hurry his arse up, shouting that we were going to be late.

He sauntered in sporting that carefree smile.

"So what?" he retorted, "I'll still get to be with you."

And my heart melted, because really- what girl's heart doesn't melt when her beloved boyfriend spouts out a line like that, cheesy or not?

I managed to roll my eyes, and asked if he was ready.

"Almost," he replied, "I just have to do one thing first."

Then he bent down on one knee,

and the look on my face told him clearly that I had just decided he really had gone crazy.

If I'd said so he would have said something like "I'm crazy for you," and there's only so much cheesiness a girl can take- so I kept quiet.

But my face said it at all.

He was grinning that goofy grin again.

"Lily," he said, "I love you-"

"I love you too, but-" I started, cutting him off, trying to tell him he needed to cut the crap, and that we were in a hurry.

He took my hand, and the look on his face shut me up.

I'd never seen that face before, and I couldn't tell what it meant.

"Lily," he repeated, "I love you- and I'll always love you. No matter what, I'll always love you. I love being with you, I love that you're mine- my girlfriend. But it's not quite enough. I want you to be my wife."

I gasped, he was _proposing_?

Yep, he had definitely gone bonkers.

"Will you marry me?"

He pulled his hand away from mine, and I realized that a ring box was sitting in his palm up hand

I hadn't felt it a moment ago, and that left me curious for a moment.

Then I remember that he was a wizard,

that he had just proposed,

and that he was waiting for an answer.

He opened the box, and at the sight of the thing I gasped again.

Never had there been a ring more perfect.

Course, there had never been a guy more perfect either.

Sorry, that was James-level cheesy, wasn't it?

I looked at him for a moment, and I was too surprised to speak at all.

Then I realized he was getting nervous, and I had known my answer the moment I realized what he was going to ask anyways.

"Yes. Of course. I'd love to marry you."

And suddenly the goofy grin was back,

and it must have been infectious because then I was sporting one too.

He slipped the ring on my finger, and then he stood up- looking me in the eyes throughout every move.

He kissed me, and it was more passionate and more promising than our very first had been.

_What happened after was he asked me to move in with him_.

We were out at dinner, a month after school had finished.

It was just the two of us in a nice quiet Italian restaurant.

He'd been unusually quiet, and I'd asked him multiple times if he was alright.

He kept ensuring me that he was.

I hadn't believed him.

Then dessert came, and he looked at me with that odd look- the same look he'd worn before he proposed.

"Lily, we're in love, and we're engaged. And I can understand if you don't want to, if you want to wait until after the wedding. But...will you move in with me?"

I paused, surprised he'd asked.

I hadn't expected him to.

He opened his mouth to say more,

probably something about how he at least had to ask.

That all he wanted was to spend more time with me- that he missed me.

I know that if he had said it, it would have been true.

And it still was, even though he never got a chance to say it.

I silenced him before he could say a word.

"Of course I will."

That goofy grin came back once more,

and he leaned across the table to kiss me briefly.

_What happened after was we got married._

We were at the church I grew up in,

friends and family were all around.

My father walked me down the aisle,

James stood up at the front looking nervous- his messy hair sticking up untamed as usual,

and Sirius stood grinning by his side.

We spoke our vows,

and my eyes never left his-nor his mine.

The pastor pronounced us man and wife,

and that incessant grin spread across his face.

He leaned forward and kissed me,

neither briefly nor inappropriately.

Sweet, passionate, and perfect.

_What happened after was I told him I was pregnant._

I was at home at our little cottage in Godric's Hollow.

He came home whistling happily as he came to find me.

"Hello love," he said before he kissed me on the cheek.

I led him to the dining room to our waiting dinner.

He smiled at me, as he surveyed the food before us.

We chatted as we ate,

neither of us saying anything important.

Finally I could hold my news no longer,

I was about to burst.

"James," he looked at me inquisitively, "I'm pregnant."

His eyes lit up and that grin returned.

"You're pregnant?!" He cried,

And I nodded, smiling myself.

He jumped up out of his chair and grabbed me.

He hugged me tightly,

crushing me slightly.

I made a small noise of pain,

and he released me immediately.

He wore a worried face as he asked if I was okay,

and apologized profusely even after I told him I was.

Then he gathered me in another hug,

this one less tight, but more safe and comforting.

"I love you," he whispered, taking my chin in his hand.

It felt just like the first time he told me he loved me,

but happier- somehow it found a way to be so much happier.

_What happened after was our child was born._

It was late in July, and it was a hot and murky night.

I'd been in labor far too long,

and I wanted the baby out already.

James was patient and kind,

he never complained.

The next morning we would discover a large bruise on his hand,

but he never said a word of complaint that night.

Finally, one last push,

and we had a beautiful infant son.

They presented him to me in a soft baby blue blanket.

He had my eyes, that was certain at first glance,

and I could tell already he'd be cursed with James' hair.

James squeezed my hand gently as he looked down with love at Harry.

I offered Harry to him,

and he took him- uncertain about how to hold the infant.

Once Harry was in his arms,

and he saw his child up and close-

that goofy grin spread across his face.

Sirius was wrong,

I wasn't the only one who could make him grin like that,

but I was perfectly okay with it.

_What happened after was we had to go into hiding._

We were in Dumbledore's office,

It was only James, Harry, Dumbledore and I.

James held Harry in his arms,

and I sat nervously twiddling my thumbs.

Dumbledore told us of how it would work,

how we would need to choose a Secret Keeper.

Naturally, we instantly replied in unison with one name.

Sirius.

Dumbledore agreed,

Everything was in place.

But, then Sirius surprised us, advising against it.

Sadly, we realized he had a point.

We replaced Sirius with Peter,

it seemed to be the perfect plan.

Things were too serious,

James never cracked his goofy grin.

_What happened after was Voldemort came._

We were at home that Halloween eve.

James knew what was coming,

and he was too concerned for our lives to grin his goofy grin.

He sent me upstairs to take flight with Harry.

James never had a chance,

Voldemort killed him at first sight,

before turning his eyes on me and my son.

He gave me a chance to live,

and I said no.

All I could think of was the need to protect my son.

In the end I did,

even though I hadn't truly known my sacrifice would be enough to spare his life.

_What happened after was our only beloved son became an orphan._

_What happened after was Sirius went to Azkaban for a crime he did not commit._

_What happened after was Peter got away scot-free._

_What happened after was Remus was left all alone._

_What happened after was our son grew up without the love he deserved._

_What happened after was what left the fate of the world in our son's hands._

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**I really like this, and if you did too- I hope you'll review.**


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